The use of an email list database in marketing is usually divided up into two parts: the analytical and the creative. The analysis part of marketing uses an email list database to select various names. It is the role of the creative part to find the right message for the names chosen. While both of these approaches share the common goal of a high ROR, the way they go about it is completely different.
What many people don’t realize about a customer email list database is that it is actually a database of behavior. An email list database can be used to gauge the way that customers are acting. Since new studies are showing that the unconscious mind is responsible for about 95% of all our actions, including purchases, an email list database is a better way to understand our customers than through surveys.
There are many ways to understand customers’ behavior with an email list database of customers. For example, consider that you sell related products such as fabric, thread and needles. If there is a group of customers which is buying fabric and thread but not needles, you can assume they are buying them somewhere else. Once you know this, you can target that specific group for needles or a package containing all three products.
It is important that you look at the habits of the names on your email list database. Frequency of site visits or sales are very important in terms of habit. For example, you will want to see how often names on the list visit your site after they get a newsletter (or product offer, or whatever you send out). You might notice that some names in the email list database come every month, even if you send out weekly emails. Others might only visit when the emails mention sales. In order to maximize on these habits, you need to make sure that they also get into the habit of buying while they visit.
Another important aspect of analyzing an email list database is to understand the role of the recipient. Generally, customers can be broken down into these groups:
• Buyer
• Decision maker
• Recommender
• User
In order to effectively use an email list database, you must understand the role of the recipient. For example, if you sell toys, a TV ad might have been the recommender, a child is the user but the child’s mother decides to buy and makes the actual purchase.
Once you have analyzed the email list database on this level, then you employ the creative aspects. It is always much easier to communicate to a group of people that you “know” rather than just names selected randomly from an email list database. Communication is the key to getting potential sales to your site and having them follow through on their purchases.
